


Roller Coaster

by Selenay



Category: Young Avengers
Genre: F/F, First Kiss, Road Trips, Roller Coasters, Trope Bingo Round 2
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-06
Updated: 2013-07-06
Packaged: 2017-12-17 21:51:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,347
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/872329
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Selenay/pseuds/Selenay
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There are some things America has never experienced. Like road trips.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Roller Coaster

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't read Hawkeye #11 or Young Avengers #6 (they're sitting on my desk beside me, fresh from the comic shop) so there are no spoilers here. And it's possible I've already been Jossed on this, but the idea wouldn't go away. Written for the Avengers Rare Pair Makeout Fest prompt: America/Kate, road trip

"I could fly there, you know."

Kate shrugged. "I know you could. But I can't."

"I could fly _you_ there," America said insistently.

"How, by carrying me like a princess? Yeah, no thanks. I don't think either of us wants that."

Except Kate did, sometimes, and she didn't know what to do with that.

American slumped down further in the passenger seat with a scowl and Kate ignored her theatrics so she could concentrate on the road in front of her.

***

"Would you have let Noh-Varr fly you in his ship?"

"No."

"Why?"

Kate rolled her eyes and debated whether she wanted to overtake the truck in front of them or not. "This wouldn't be a girls' road trip if we brought Noh-Varr."

"When did this become a girls-only trip?" America asked.

There wasn't an easy way to answer that, too many things would need explaining, so Kate shrugged and pulled out to zoom past the slow truck. "It just is. Do you really want the boys witnessing your first time on a roller coaster?"

"I can fly," America said. "What's the point in roller coasters when I can fly?"

"They're fun. That's the entire point. You get that feeling low down in your gut when it hits the corners at speed or runs down the huge drops, the one where you don't know what's about to happen next because it's trying to break the laws of gravity and this might be the time it pushes too far. And it feels amazing because you just have to let go and live it."

There was a short silence and Kate took her eyes off the road for a moment to look at America. A thoughtful frown wrinkled America's brow. It was different from her usual scowls and angry frowns and Kate wondered what she was thinking.

"You're crazy," America declared firmly.

Kate snapped her attention back to the road. "But you'll try it, right?"

"Maybe. It still sounds pointless when I can fly us right out of there if anything goes wrong."

***

America disappeared into the gas station as soon as Kate stopped the car. She was nowhere in sight when Kate went in to pay and buy a Coke, but she emerged with two huge bags of snacks while Kate was leaning against the car to drink.

"I get hungry," American said defensively.

Kate smiled and didn't say anything until they were back on the road. Then the smell of Doritos got too enticing.

"Feed me," she said, holding out a hand.

There was a moment's hesitation before American dumped half a dozen chips in Kate's outstretched hand.

"I bought those mini doughnuts as well," America said after a few minutes of almost companionable munching. "The ones with powdered sugar."

"Doughnut me," Kate said cheerfully.

***

Kate yawned and forced her eyes wider. She had always liked driving at night. The world looked beautiful and filled with possibilities when it was pared down to darkness and twinkling lights on the horizon.

Every now and again she glanced over at America, slumped in the passenger seat and snoring softly. It was odd to see a soft smile on her sleeping face when she usually looked so angry with the world.

A loud blaring horn and bright headlights forced Kate's attention back to the road and she swerved back into her own lane just before the truck hit them.

America woke up with a start and blinked blearily. "Are we there yet?"

It was such an unexpectedly child-like comment that Kate couldn't help laughing softly. She suspected America was probably glaring at her for it, but she didn't dare turn to look.

"Aren't you tired yet?" America asked.

Kate yawned again just as she was trying to protest that she wasn't tired at all and she could almost feel America rolling her eyes.

"We're stopping at the next motel we pass," America said.

"When did you get put in charge of this road trip?"

"When you almost drove us under a truck."

***

They didn't stop at the first motel because they both agreed that it looked like a psycho killer kind of place. America's promise to protect them from any knife-wielding murderers hiding in the shower made something warm and fuzzy catch in Kate's belly. She almost regretted driving away because America in fight mode was _amazing_ n to watch.

Instead they drove on and found a pretty little bed and breakfast on the outskirts of a small town that was miraculously still open despite the late hour. The owner was a tiny woman with kind eyes and she had obviously been on her way to bed when they knocked at her door.

America smiled shyly when Ma Annette plied them with mugs of cocoa and added two extra marshmallows to America's because she looked like she needed them.

They tumbled into the one soft bed in the room they were given and Kate told herself firmly that she was going to stay on her own side of the bed all night.

***

Kate woke up wrapped around America like an octopus. America's hair tickled her nose and smelled like peaches. She memorised the smell and smiled against soft, peach-scented skin when America's arm tightened around her waist.

It was wonderful.

***

"Didn't your moms ever take you on road trips?"

America shrugged and put her feet up on the dashboard. "We could fly."

"Seriously? No road trips at all?"

"Why drive when you can fly?"

Kate gestured to the passing scenery and the morning sunlight. "Because you miss stuff when you're flying!"

"I like flying."

"Why?"

There was a beat of silence before America responded. "It makes me feel alive."

***

They ate burgers from a roadside diner at lunch, sitting on a little patch of grass behind the diner where they could see the ocean. Kate stole half of America's fries and America shared the giant cookie she'd ordered while Kate wasn't watching.

***

Crowds surged around them on the boardwalk in Myrtle Beach; families busy treating having fun it was a military operation and couples meandering along hand in hand. The sun was warm overhead and the ocean was bright, sparkling blue.

Kate allowed America to press her back against the railing and she put her arms eagerly around America's neck as their lips met in a kiss. America tasted of cotton candy and salt and Kate licked into her mouth for another taste.

The shy smile was back when they parted, the one that Kate wanted to kiss because it was so unlike the side of America she usually saw. She allowed her arms to drop to America's waist and she smiled smugly when America's hands fell onto the railing on either side of her, boxing her in.

It was another of those moments she wanted to memorise. Cotton candy and salt and a warm body that was strong and soft in so many contrasting ways.

America looked thoughtful for a moment. "Is this what a roller coaster feels like?"

"Is that what kissing me feels like?"

"My stomach swooping and the fear it's going to go wrong but then it doesn't?" America shrugged. "Pretty much."

"That may be the cheesiest thing you've ever said," Kate said. "You're amazing."

"Honey, you ain't heard nothing yet if you want cheesy."

Kate leaned up for another kiss.

***

The amusement park was strangely beautiful in the dark. All the lights and glitter shone out and hid the shabby, weatherworn signs on the older rides.

America clung to Kate and refused to open her eyes during the first two roller coasters. They kissed at the top of the third ride and America dragged Kate around every roller coaster she could find after that.

Later that night Kate looked down at the twinkling lights from the safety of America's arms, high above the amusement park. Maybe she could understand why America loved to fly, if nights in the air were always like this.

She wouldn't be giving her car up, though. Not when there were roads and views and a beautiful woman to drive with.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [[podfic] Roller Coaster](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12769863) by [annapods](https://archiveofourown.org/users/annapods/pseuds/annapods)




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